Phonograph.



P. WEBER.

PHONOGRAPH. APPLIOATION'HLBD 00T. 14, 1907.

lPatsnted Apr, 8, 1913.

UNITED sTATns PATENT oFFion.

PETER WEBER, VOF ORANGE,

NEW JERSEY, .ASSIGNOR, vBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THOMAS A. EDISON, INCORPORATED, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA-TION or NEW JERSEY.

jrnonoenarn.

' which the following is a description.

My invention relates to phonographs and particularly to ports therefor.

In order to secure the best lresults from a phonograph it has been foundnecessary to make use of horns of relatively large dimensions. Suchhorns are usually supported from the phonograph cabinet by some form ofhorn crane so that they extend outward in front of the phonograph to aconsiderable distance. The'obj-ections to this form of apparatus arenumerous; for example, a horn so supported takes up a large amount ofroom, and it has a tendency to upset the phonographv or toftvvist andbend the parts thereof. Such a horn can-only be partially supported fromthe horn crane, and it is necessary-in order to secure `stability that aconsiderable portion of its weight be borne by the reproducer orrecorder of the phonograph, and this to a considerable extent interfereswith the movements of the phonograph carriage, and imposes wear on theline feed screw. The horn extending out to the front is often in the wayof the operator, and it is difficult direct such a horn so supportedtoward any given point without turning the phonograph bodily around.Again, it is ditlicult to replace the cover upon the cabinet, after theinstrument has been used, as t-he horn is always more or less in theway, and it is often found necessary to entirely remove the horn fromthe phonograph and crane before the cover can be placed upon thecabinet.

It is the object of my invention to do away with the objections whichare present in the horns and supports therefor now in common use, and l.obtain these results by mal:- ing my improved horn of such form that itmay be support-ed above the phonograph instead of extending out in frontthereof, as is the common practice. By making the horn of my improvedform .l am enabled to support it from a point vertically above itscenter of Specification of Letters Patent. Application sled october 14',1907.

' `gravity without the resulting PETER WEBER, a citiof Essex and Stateof' phonograph horns and sup-l and almost impossible to.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913. Serial N o. 397,283.

instability which would be caused if the horns now in use were sosupported. It is possible to do this with my improved horn for thereason that its center of gravity is at a relatively considerabledistance beneath the point -of support. My improved horn is looselyconnected with'the reproducer and none of its weight is borne thereby,as has beenthe case With horns supported in the old way, andit thereforedoes not interferein any way with the movements of thecarriage. The`horn being entirely supported from above at a point vertically over itscenter vof gravity can readily be turned in any direction so that thesound may bedirectedto any point Without the necessity of vturning thephonograph about to a new position upon the table or other support, andthe-horn being suspended above the cabinet takes up but little space ina room, and need not'be removed in order to replace the-cover upon thecabinet, but may be readily pushed to one side to permit. the placing ofthe cover in position `and the horn need not be removed from its cranewhen the phonograph is out -of use, but may remain suspended from itscrane at all times, and when it is desired toA operate the phonograph itis only lnecessary to A remove the cover and connect the lower end ofthe horn to the reproducer.

YWith the above .and related objects in View, my invention consists inthe parts, improvements and combinations hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andwherein the same reference numerals areuniformly used to designate thesame parts, Figure l is an end elevation of a phonograph provided withmy improved form of horn and horn support, the connection between thetube of the reproducer and the horn being shown in section, and` Fig. 2is a view partly in section Vand partly in side elevation of thereproducer, and a connecting the horn thereto.

l represents the phonograph cabinet and 2 the carriage which is movabletransversely of the mandrel 3 and supports the reproducer 4. Of courseinstead of a reprmlucer, a recorder may be used, as is well understood,the term sound box used in the portion of the means for 2 roscas@-claims being intended to designate either of these devices. vIn thepreferred form of my invention, the reproducer or recorder is supportedhorizontally in the carriage' 2, Aso that the neck 5 through which thesound 1ssues therefrom is substantially vertical.

My improved horn comprises a bell 6, a tapering elbow 7 secured to thesmaller end ot the bell, and a tapering tone arm 8 secured to thesmaller end of the elbow. The longitudinal aXis of the tone arm and thelongitudinal axis of the bell it continued -would meet in an angle whichis preferably somewhat less than a right angle. The tone arm is looselyand-exibly connected to the neck 5 of the reproducer by any suitablemeans The connecting means which I have shown comprises a iiexiblerubber tube 9 and a short cylindricaltube 10, the inner diameter ofwhich is somewhat larger than' the outer diameter of the neck 5 of thereproducer, and which is provided with an inwardly extending bead oriange 11 at its lower end, which iits fairly closely -about thereproducer tube but not so close as to bind thereon. Itwill be evidentthat by reason of the bead 11 this cylindrical tube 10 may be tiltedwith respect to the reproducer neck 5 through a considerable angle. Anoutwardly extending bead or iiange 12 is formed on the upper end of thetube 10 over which the rubber sleeve 9 frictionally engages. Supportingmeans is provided for this 'horn at a point directly in line with thecenter ot gravity thereof. It is desirable that the horn shall becapable of being turned upon this supporting means so as to face in anydesired direction and at the same time, that suiiicient stability shallbe secured to retain the horn facing in any direction. i have thereforemade the support in the iorm of a rodl-B provided with a. bali 11i whichlits within the socket piece 15, secured to thebell 6. This rod 13isi-supported by the upper end 16 of a horn crane. is shown, the rod 13is threaded at its upper end and after passing through the end 16 oftheupper portion of the crane it has a nut 17 screwed thereon, but it isevident that other forms ot connection may be used. The lower portion ofthe horn crane comprises a substantially verticalrod 18, which issecured in socket pieces 19 at the back'ot the phonograph cabinet andheld in place by'set screw 20. ltis to be understood, however, thatother forms of cranes and other means ot' connecting the crane to thephonograph mav be used if desired. The portion 18 of the crane is hollowand the upper,part'16 ot the crane tits therein and is held fromrotation relatively to the part 18 by meer et a pin 21 passing throughthe upper poi ien 16 of the crane, and fitting in shallew notches 22 inthe upper end of the crane section 18. As is shown in the drawing, thelower end of the tone arm, which is adapted for connection with therecorder or reproducer 2 is directly beneath the support 13 and thecenter of gravity of the horn.

Having new described my invention, l claim:

1. in a pheno'raph, the combination with a sound bolt, oit a horn havinga forwardly directed bell, means tor suspending said horn from a pointin substantially' vertical alinement with said sound box, said meanspermitting oscillation of the horn about a subsiantially vertical axisand a connection between the smaller end et the horn and said sound box,said connection` likewise permitting oscillation of the horn about saidaxis, substantially as described.

2. In a phonograph, the combination with a sound box, of a horn having aforwardly directed bell, means for suspending said horn from a uointvertically above said sound box, sai means permitting oscillat-ion ofthe horn abouta substantially ver-l tical axisand a .sliding connectionbetween the smaller end or the horn and said sound .boX, said connectionlikewise permitting oscillation of the horn about said axis,substantially as described.

3. in a phonograph, the combination with a sound box having a verticallydisposed neck, of a horn having a forwardly directed bell, means forsuspending said horn from a point vertically above said neck, said meanspermitting oscillation of the horn about a substantially vertical axis,and a yielding connection between the smaller end of said bornand saidneck, substantially as described.

4. 1n a phonograph, the combination with .a sound box having avertically disposed neck, ot a horn having a forwardly directed bell,means tor freely suspending said horn from a point inv a substantiallyvertical line passing through the center of. gravity of said horn andthe axis of said neck, and a yielding connection between the smaller endof said horn and said neck, substantially as described.

In a phonograph, the combination with a sound borner" a horn having aforwardly directed bell, means for suspending said horn from a pointvertically above said sound box and for adjusting' the vertical'position of said horn, said means permitting oscillation oit the hornabout a substantially vertical axis, and a connection between thesmaller end of said horn and said sound box, said connection likewisepermitting oscillation or" the'horn about said axis, substantially asdescribed.

in phonograph,

pf-V1 the combination with CJ extend horn, means for ning tee born tro-eabove, and a dexia neck, et an upwardly horn and the sound box neckcomprising a ble connection between the lower end of the Thisvspecification signed and witnessed this 12 day of Oct., 1907.

Hexible sleeve and agtube fitting over the PETER WEBER. sound bOX neckand provided with an in- VVitnesses wardly extending flange or bead,substan- FRANK D. LEWIS,

tially as described. l CHARLES F. ROBSN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

